Slack Zak

[glastored]

I like Zak. He deserved all his accolades over the past couple of seasons, but of late his passing has become really casual. Sometimes he just nonchalantly prods it forward to no one in particular, or towards a teammate without any power behind the pass. What’s happening? Is this a blip in a previously flawless season, or is he losing concentration? If he carries on like this he may well end up being left out of the starting lineup. 

Edited January 20 by glastored

[Jose]

Just now, glastored said:

I like Zak. He deserved all his accolades over the past couple of seasons, but of late his passing has become really casual. Sometimes he just nonchalantly prods it forward to no one in particular, or towards a teammate without any power behind the pass. What’s happening? Is this a blip in a previously flawless season, or he losing concentration? If he carries on like this he may well end up being left out of the starting lineup. 

18k a week too apparently. 

[petehinton]

Maintain, when fit, and if we play a 2 in CB, it’s Dickie and Atkinson every day of the week for me. Without any hesitation. 
 

Dickie Atkinson Vyner in a 3 is very solid though, if we’re going down that formation route. 

[Hartleysbeard]

Tough to criticise him when his tackles and blocks have saved certain goals at times. But between him and Max they do contrive to give the opposition opportunities far too often. Communication and leadership across the back line seems to be the issue here. Need a vocal leader like Naismith there.

[redkev]

24 minutes ago, Jose said:

18k a week too apparently. 

The word that stands out me there is APPARENTLY enough said

[Big C]

38 minutes ago, Jose said:

18k a week too apparently. 

not sure what this has to do with it

[redsocks]

As soon as Atkinson is fit he plays with dickie.zac is not good enough I would sell as I would with max.i have said for a while we need a new gk.

[Better Red]

Atkinson and Dickie can’t play together in a 2.

They are both to slow at this level.

In a 3 yes but not in a 2

[GrahamC]

For all of our players the passing angles were incredibly difficult to find today & he & Rob Dickie were having to try eye of a needle stuff at times.

I can’t see us choosing to line up without him in the side either as his pace is invaluable.

[Natchfever]

24 minutes ago, redkev said:

The word that stands out me there is APPARENTLY enough said

He is on 20k a week FACT Kev

[Natchfever]

Just now, GrahamC said:

For all of our players the passing angles were incredibly difficult to find today & he & Rob Dickie were having to try eye of a needle stuff at times.

I can’t see us choosing to line up without him in the side either as his pace is invaluable.

Thought Watford pressed well especially first half and our boys arent Man City.

Reckon he did ok though over 90+ minutes and as you say he is the pacy one back there.

[Davefevs]

My biggest issue with Zak today was that he allowed Rajovic to pin him too often, and the Watford man allowed Dele and Kone to break past James and Williams off of his touch / layoff.

I have no issues with Zak across the season, he was a tinsy winsy bit below his par today.

[Shauntaylor85]

He hasn’t been the same since Nige left, nor has Dickie. We are weaker defensively. 

[joe jordans teeth]

1 hour ago, Jose said:

18k a week too apparently. 

If he is on 18k then I’m the pope,then again this is City so I bless you all 

[Dolman_Stand]

1 hour ago, Jose said:

18k a week too apparently. 

In fairness at the point he signed he deserved to be a top earner so if that's the going rate then fair play to him. Agree with others that since NP left he hasn't been at it and needs to switch back on

[redkev]

37 minutes ago, Natchfever said:

He is on 20k a week FACT Kev

Wow didn’t think we paid that sort of money , best get me gola boots out and start running around the downs 

[And Its Smith]

Gave  the ball away less than Dickie and Tanner today. 

[glastored]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

For all of our players the passing angles were incredibly difficult to find today & he & Rob Dickie were having to try eye of a needle stuff at times.

I can’t see us choosing to line up without him in the side either as his pace is invaluable.

Fair enough. Point taken. 

[Lew-T]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

My biggest issue with Zak today was that he allowed Rajovic to pin him too often, and the Watford man allowed Dele and Kone to break past James and Williams off of his touch / layoff.

I have no issues with Zak across the season, he was a tinsy winsy bit below his par today.

I was a bit surprised they took him off. Thought he caused Vyner loads of problems.

[Bristol_Badger]

2 hours ago, petehinton said:

Maintain, when fit, and if we play a 2 in CB, it’s Dickie and Atkinson every day of the week for me. Without any hesitation. 
 

Dickie Atkinson Vyner in a 3 is very solid though, if we’re going down that formation route. 

Just out of interest, any sort of pace in your CB selection?

[Merrick's Marvels]

Zak Vyner doing Zak Vyner things.

One week Rio Ferdinand, the next Franz Ferdinand.

Twas ever thus.

[TommyD68]

Whilst I agree he’s not been the same since Nige left, I think the criticism is a bit harsh. He did also suffer a knee injury early on in the season and think has taken him a bit longer to get up to speed, don’t think it’s necessarily to do with a new manager.

Hes still had some great games, Southampton and West Ham away for example. Much better team with him in it imo, also we don’t have another CB with his athleticism and leadership. Dickie gave the ball away a lot more today than Zak did today. Let’s not start this Vyner isn’t good enough bandwagon again when he clearly is. 

[joe jordans teeth]

3 hours ago, And Its Smith said:

Gave  the ball away less than Dickie and Tanner today. 

If you are scrambling for positivity then you may be right but it’s blatantly obvious a right back will give away the ball more than a centre half 

Edited January 21 by joe jordans teeth

[Major Isewater]

9 hours ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

He hasn’t been the same since Nige left, nor has Dickie. We are weaker defensively. 

I expect they have too much information to take on board and have moved away from what they were previously doing. Let’s hope they settle down soon because since LM arrived our strong defence has been making some silly mistakes which has cost us goals. 

[Port Said Red]

9 hours ago, redsocks said:

As soon as Atkinson is fit he plays with dickie.zac is not good enough I would sell as I would with max.i have said for a while we need a new gk.

I am very pleased you are not in charge then.

9 hours ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

He hasn’t been the same since Nige left, nor has Dickie. We are weaker defensively. 

Is that right? How many more goals have we conceded since NP left? Genuine question.

As for Zak yesterday, people seem to forget there are two teams on the pitch and I thought Watford's press was excellent and I thought Williams didn't do him or Dickie any favours by blocking passing lanes but not offering an alternative.

That also had the knock on effect that Max had to go back to those punts out to Cam or Ross which look really bad when they don't come off, and nobody notices when they do.

 

 

[TDarwall]

Few bigger Zak fans than me, however I think his passing has been looses all season (no better/worse pre or post Nige imo).

[Graham76]

Slack Vyner wasn’t on his game yesterday, but was excellent vs West Ham 

[Fuber]

9 hours ago, Shauntaylor85 said:

He hasn’t been the same since Nige left, nor has Dickie. We are weaker defensively. 

Think it's more the fact that we're more open where playing the central pair (James and Williams yesterday) higher up the pitch - compare that to NPs system which typically used James as a sitting DM allowing the likes of Williams and especially Knight more freedom.

Problem is that if we get turned on transition - like Williams was multiple times the first 25 - it leaves Tanner, Vyner, and Dickie incredibly exposed in a 3v3.

So overall I would disagree. Tactically the passing angles weren't there which made it much harder for them to play their game - tactical from Ismael with the early pressing to try and kill momentum - Manning didn't adjust or change the system until around the 65th minute when he bought TGH and Bell on.

[W-S-M Seagull]

I thought quite a few were slack yesterday. 

I've noticed Manning has mentioned about focus levels a few times and I'm glad he's seeing what I'm seeing. 

Against West Ham in both games we were focused because we had to be. Against the likes of Watford our players don't have that same level of focus. How many times yesterday did our players miscontrol a ball and it go out for a throw in? These were not difficult balls to miscontrol, they just wasn't switched on. 

Work needs to be done on that. 

[formerly known as ivan]

20 minutes ago, Graham76 said:

Slack Vyner wasn’t on his game yesterday, but was excellent vs West Ham 

I thought in general Zak was decent yesterday defensively. They had a big old unit up front and Zak won most challenges both physically and aerially.

But his choice of passing and execution was shocking. Has been for a while and will probably be the one thing that holds him back from playing any higher.